Embrace of the Serpent
(El abrazo de la serpiente)
Ciro Guerra | Drama, Classic
2015 | 125 minutes | Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela
In the Amazon, a shaman and two scientists bond over 40 years, exploring memory, loss, and colonial scars in a search for the sacred Yakruna plant.
Synopsis
A breathtaking ethnographic odyssey through the heart of the Colombian Amazon, Embrace of the Serpent is the epic story of the first contact, approach, betrayal and, eventually, friendship, between Karamakate, an amazonian shaman, last survivor of his people, and two scientists that, over 40 years, become the first men to travel the Northwest Amazon in search of a sacred and difficult-to-find psychedelic Yakruna plant.
With nine different languages spoken during the course of the film, this hypnotic meditation on the beauty of nature and the effects of colonialism is presented with an uncommon sense of curiosity rarely seen. The crisp black and white photography captures the extraordinary landscapes with a haunting, almost mythical sense of wonder, while the balance between documentary-style realism and dreamlike mysticism makes for a truly poetic cinematic experience.
Reviews
“NYT Critic's Pick. Majestic, spellbinding film... Beautiful isn’t a strong enough word to describe it.” – Stephen Holden, The New York Times
“A fairly comprehensive critique of the destruction of indigenous cultures at the hands of white invaders. At once blistering and poetic, not just an ethnographic study but also a striking act of cinematic witness.” – Justin Chang, Variety
“A visually mesmerizing exploration of man, nature and the destructive powers of colonialism.” – Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter
“An intense journey and very rewarding visual feast.” – Nathaniel Rogers, The Film Experience
“a legitimate stunner, a river-trip that will mesmerize and jack with you, leaving you not quite certain, at its end, how to go about the rest of your day. The film is beautiful and ferocious, calm and torrential.” – Alan Scherstuhl, The Village Voice
“Embrace of the Serpent is simply a work of art, and one of the most singular cinematic experiences you could hope to have...It is a lament for all the lost plants and peoples of the world.” – Jessica Kiang, The Playlist
“Guerra’s stark allegory of the extinction of indigenous cultures at the hands of well-meaning but ignorant white Europeans is powerfully resonant in this gorgeously shot film, touted as the first feature to be shot in the Colombian jungle in over three decades.” – Nicholas Bell, Ioncinema
“An enlightening and thought-provoking film that is also evocative, exotic, and surreal in its primal eloquence, this is highly recommended. ” – Susan Granger, Video Librarian
Citation
Coming soon.
Cataloging
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Pragda subjects
Anthropology
Cinema Studies
Culture + Identity
Environment + Sustainability
Human Rights
Indigenous Peoples
Latin American Studies
Race + Ethnicity
Religion + Spirituality
South America
Keywords
Clips
Festivals
Academy Awards® - Best Foreign Language Film Nominee; Cannes Film Festival Directors’ Fortnight Winner – CIACE Art Cinema Award; Sundance Film Festival; Toronto International Film Festival; Fenix Awards - Best Director, Original Score, Cinematography, Sound Design; Film Independent Spirit Awards - Best International Film Nominee; Mar Del Plata International Film Festival - Golden Astor Award for Best Film; BFI London Film Festival
DIRECTOR: Ciro Guerra
NATIONALITY: Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela
YEAR: 2015
GENRE: Drama, Classic
LANGUAGE: Spanish; Portuguese; German; Other languages; Catalan; English; Indigenous languages
COLOR / B&W: Color
GRADE LEVEL: Adult, College
SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE
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The Dangerous Memory, Ep. 02 - Pacification and Transfer
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Segredos do Putumayo
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